If you are a prepper or into any gaining any kind of survivalist skills, one of your first and most basic pieces of kit is likely to be your bug out bag.
So, what are bug out bags? Why do you need one? And, what are you likely to keep in it?
Bug out bags
Bug out bags are part of your essential kit in preparing for an emergency, civil or natural crisis. As Survive UK explains, a bug out bag helps you to get away from the area of immediate danger and then to survive for at least the next three days.
Having an adequately stocked bug out bag can make the difference between life and death.
So that you are always prepared for the unexpected, your bug out bag needs to be with you at all times. That means keeping one at home, one in the boot of the car, whenever you go out, and a scaled-down pouch or bag wherever you venture on foot (also known as an EDC – Every Day Carry).
In a family setting, it would be too much to get any one member of the group to carry a single bug out bag equipped to supply the needs of the whole family. So, bug out bags of different sizes, weights, and contents may be needed for each member of the family capable of carrying even the smallest of bags.
What’s in a bug out bag?
Everyone is different – and they may have different needs in times of crisis. So, there are probably no hard and fast rules on what any bug out bag might contain. But it’s not quite a question of everyone to his own – we can still offer a few clues about the items likely to help in your quest for life over death in an emergency.
As we’ve mentioned the contents of any particular bug out bag may vary depending on where you keep it – the one at home can be quite a size (but still portable), the one in the car a moderate size, and the one to carry with you on foot the smallest of all.
You might also want to group items according to their survivalist essentials, as follows:
Shelter
- this is going to include items such as a tent (if you have space), a tarpaulin from which you can make a tent and groundsheet, emergency blanket, sleeping bag, and extra clothing;
Fire
- your fire-starting kit might vary according to your skills and preferences – from weather-proof matches or a lighter, for instance, to a flint and striker, to simply the kindling to take whatever spark you can muster;
Water
- you are going to need a lot of it – at least 1.2 to 1.5 litres per person a day (that’s up to 4.5 litres, or nearly a gallon per person, for your three-day minimum);
Food
- you will need non-perishables, which can be anything from protein bars, packets of nuts and seeds to purpose-made “prepper” kits. There are a number of options online, including these from Basecamp, where you can also get a small stove kit;
Communication
- you’ll need the ability to communicate, so keep a fully-charged spare mobile phone in your bug out bag, together with a solar-powered charger, a mirror with which you can flash out distress signals, a whistle, and a hand-cranked radio;
First aid kit
- the extent of your first aid kit will be determined by the space you have available in the home, car, or handheld bug out bag – but make sure to pack at least the basics.
No one size fits all when it comes to bug out bags, so give some thought to what you and your partner or family may need to survive alone for at least the first three days following any emergency.
Further reading: Survival equipment kit: what do I need?
